The Luminescence Foundation Inc
The Luminescence Foundation Inc is a private grantmaking foundation based in Marshall, Virginia. Established in 2000, it operates as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization with tax-exempt status since May 2000.
Key facts about The Luminescence Foundation Inc
- EIN
- 54-1989253
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $2,762,980
- Grants made (2024)
- 56
- Average grant
- $49,339
- Median grant
- $14,925
- New grantees (estimate)
- 29% first-time grantees (16 of 56, 2024)
- Total assets
- $30,862,587
- Primary geography
- New York (29% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to apply
- The foundation operates on a preselected/invite-only basis and does not accept unsolicited applications. Full details ↓
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Luminescence Foundation Inc funds
By grant dollars, the top recipient states for The Luminescence Foundation Inc's 56 itemized 2024 grants were New York (29%), Virginia (27%) and Minnesota (24%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (10 grants), Winchester, VA (3 grants), Marshall, VA (3 grants) and Washington, DC (3 grants). 93% of grants with a stated purpose were for general or operating support.
Is The Luminescence Foundation Inc open to new grantees?
29%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 16 of 56 grantees (29%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $22K; repeat grants $60K. How we count
Medians: $18K first-time, $15K repeat.
- 64% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 39% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 96% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
Estimate from itemized IRS Form 990-PF grant lists (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Next steps with The Luminescence Foundation Inc
- How to evaluate The Luminescence Foundation Inc as a funder
Our grant prospecting guide: read the 990-PF, check fit, and decide whether to apply.
- Draft an LOI to The Luminescence Foundation Inc with AI
AI grant writing that drafts from your organization’s own materials, in your voice.
- Track this opportunity in a free grant tracker
A free Google Sheets or Excel template for deadlines, award terms, and reports due.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$30.9M
-0.7% YoY
Annual Giving
$2.8M
-13.7% YoY
Grant Count
56
-37.8% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$49K
+38.7% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Luminescence Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $2.9M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's grant-making focuses on:
- Education
- Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking
- Human Services
Primary geographic areas of focus include Virginia, New York, and Maryland.
Grantmaking
Grant Range
$500-$667,667
How to Apply
**
Ready to take the next step with The Luminescence Foundation Inc?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Primary funding areas include Virginia, New York, and Maryland.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 56 itemized 2024 grant dollars.
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets & Revenue (2024):
- Total assets: $30,862,587
- Total revenues: $6,259,577
- Total expenses: $4,045,650
- Total giving: $2,762,980
Investment Income:
- Investment income and dividends: $677,299 (2024)
- Net gain from sale of non-inventory assets: $2,924,501 (2024)
Historical Assets (2023):
- Total assets: $31.1 million
- Total revenues: $9.62 million
- Total expenses: $4.21 million
The foundation maintains a giving rate of approximately 10.2% of assets.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $30,862,587 | $31,072,313 | $25,594,610 |
| Revenue | $6,259,577 | $9,617,394 | $1,660,965 |
| Expenses | $4,045,650 | $4,205,791 | $4,259,620 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $2,825,044 | $3,234,574 | $3,049,972 |
| Net Investment Income | $2,768,845 | $8,254,262 | $681,889 |
| Distributable Amount | $2,936,034 | $2,423,966 | $2,787,931 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
370 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest recipients include Mayo Clinic ($666,667), Weta ($200,000), Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center ($200,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| MAYO CLINIC Rochester, MN | GENERAL | $666,667 |
| WETA Winchester, VA | GENERAL | $200,000 |
| MEMORIAL SLOAN KETTERING CANCER CENTER New York, NY | GENERAL | $200,000 |
| NEW YORK PRESBYTERIAN FUND INC New York, NY | GENERAL | $200,000 |
| PROMISE PROJECT FCNY New York, NY | GENERAL | $150,000 |
| THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS MD ANDERSON Houston, TX | GENERAL | $100,000 |
| BRIGHTFOCUS FOUNDATION Clarksburg, MD | GENERAL | $100,000 |
| MIDDLEBERG HUMANE FOUNDATION Marshall, VA | GENERAL | $97,825 |
| AMERICAN PRAIRIE RESERVE Bozeman, MT | GENERAL | $83,333 |
| THE ALS ASSOCIATION Rockville, MD | GENERAL | $75,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Board Members & Directors:
- Zohar Ben-Dov (President/Director)
- Lisa Ben-Dov (Vice President/Director)
- Tamar Ben-Dov (Director)
- Ariella Ben-Dov (Director)
- Andrew Albstein (Director)
- Seth Brufsky (Director)
- Christy Martin (Secretary/Treasurer)
- Talia Spanier-Baker (Director)
- Arnold Koonin (Director)
The foundation operates with limited staffing and no paid employees.
Compensation Overview
No officer or director reported compensation in the available filings.
From 2024 IRS filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zohar Ben-Dov | President/Director | — | — |
| Lisa Ben-Dov | Vice President/Director | — | — |
| Tamar Ben-Dov | Director | — | — |
| Ariella Ben-Dov | Director | — | — |
| Andrew Albstein | Director | — | — |
| Seth Brufsky | Director | — | — |
| Christy Martin | Secretary/Treasurer | — | — |
| Talia Spanier-Baker | Director | — | — |
| Arnold Koonin | Director | — | — |
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Luminescence Foundation Inc fund?
The foundation's grant-making focuses on: • Education • Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking • Human Services Primary geographic areas of focus include Virginia, New York, and Maryland.
How do I apply for a grant from The Luminescence Foundation Inc?
The foundation operates on a preselected/invite-only basis and does not accept unsolicited applications. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
Where does The Luminescence Foundation Inc make grants?
Primary funding areas include Virginia, New York, and Maryland.
What size grants does The Luminescence Foundation Inc award?
In 2024, The Luminescence Foundation Inc awarded 56 grants totaling $2.8M — an average of about $49K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Luminescence Foundation Inc required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Luminescence Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $2.9M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Luminescence Foundation Inc's EIN?
The Luminescence Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 54-1989253. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does The Luminescence Foundation Inc accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Luminescence Foundation Inc's focus areas in our free grants database
Similar Funders
Funders that support many of the same organizations
Ge Aerospace Foundation
Norwalk, CT
Assets
$22.5M
Grants
2,467
Total Given
$15.3M
Jack Kent Cooke Foundation
Lansdowne, VA
Assets
—
Grants
1,419
Total Given
$25.1M
The Northrop Grumman Foundation
Falls Church, VA
Assets
$20.1M
Grants
1,284
Total Given
$12.4M
Donors Trust Inc
Alexandria, VA
Assets
$1.4B
Grants
919
Total Given
$282.1M
The Community Foundation Inc
Richmond, VA
Assets
$852.4M
Grants
917
Total Given
$61.8M
America's Charities
Chantilly, VA
Assets
$28.0M
Grants
889
Total Given
$18.9M
Dominion Energy Charitable Foundation
Richmond, VA
Assets
—
Grants
773
Total Given
$16.4M
The Nature Conservancy
Arlington, VA
Assets
$9.5B
Grants
627
Total Given
$54.1M
Foster Foundation
Brookneal, VA
Assets
$16.8M
Grants
530
Total Given
$900K
The Pfizer Foundation Inc
New York, NY
Assets
$255.3M
Grants
9,306
Total Given
$23.2M
Jpmorgan Chase Foundation
New York, NY
Assets
$1.2B
Grants
10,334
Total Given
$202.5M
Verizon Foundation
Basking Ridge, NJ
Assets
$23.8M
Grants
5,464
Total Given
$7.0M
More Funders in Virginia
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.